The Sons of Isaac(18)
With that assurance, she went to bed and slept soundly. Isaac must surely be hers soon.
It took fifteen days for Eleazar to prepare the camels, round up the supplies, and consult on the best route to take for the journey. During this time Abraham was restless and thoughtful. He remembered vividly how his brother had acted the last time he had seen him. Nahor had been totally against his leaving Haran, had accused him of breaking up the family, deserting his father’s grave, and making it impossible for their family to continue in their lucrative trading enterprises. Abraham wondered if he had changed. More to the point, would he let anyone from his family go off with a stranger to marry the son of this brother who had so disappointed him?
He paced back and forth, keeping within the bounds of the tent’s deep shadow as he pondered the intricacies of the situation. This was the strange part of the whole thing. He was making all these plans and sending his steward on this long journey and he had no real assurance there was a suitable maiden available. He had only the nudging feeling when he prayed that this was what he should do.
I must send the ring with the family emblem on it so my brother will know Eleazar comes at my bidding, he thought as he turned the ring on his finger and pondered the difficulties. For a brief moment he considered sending Isaac so they could see the fine lad and be more sure to approve a marriage.
“No, I must not do that,” he muttered. “Nahor has always been crafty and it would be just like him to keep him there. He’d let him marry one of their young maidens but would insist on his staying and working for him. No,” he concluded, “the lad stays here.”
Next Abraham began to fear that Nahor might convince Eleazar to take a bride from the local women. He was totally capable of hiding any relatives and offering some other young woman instead. He would not easily be willing to part with anyone from his own family. Abraham wondered how he could keep Eleazar from falling for such a ruse.
If he insisted that Eleazar take a strong oath to propose marriage only to someone from the family of old Terah, this should work. Oaths were respected in every country and among all people.
There were many ways of making an oath binding, but an oath taken on the honor of one’s ancestors and one’s descendants was the most binding. To place the hand under the thigh invoked both groups as witnesses and guardians. It was just this sort of oath Abraham had in mind.
Just as he was mulling over these problems, Eleazar appeared around the side of the tent. “My lord,” he said, “the camels are being groomed for the trip, and early tomorrow morning we will load them and start out for Haran.”
“Come sit with me,” Abraham said. “There is much to be discussed.”
“Yes,” Eleazar said as he went into the tent and sat down in the place Abraham had indicated. “I hope my journey to Haran is successful. It has occurred to me that even if I find the girl and she meets all our requirements, she may not agree to come with me. Should I offer to bring Isaac to Haran?”
“No,” Abraham said quickly. “If she will not come, you are free from any responsibility, but do not consent to take my son to Haran.”
Now to make the agreement binding, Abraham called witnesses and Eleazar put his hand under Abraham’s thigh and swore to abide by all Abraham’s instructions.
* * *
The next morning, long before dawn, Eleazar assembled his entourage. He took ten camels loaded with provisions for the trip and with presents for Abraham’s family in Haran. The journey had been carefully planned. The first goal was to reach the wells at Beersheba before the heat of the day, and then the next evening travel on to Hebron. From there they would discuss with other travelers whether to go down to Jericho or travel up the central ridge to the fords of the Jordan.
Many routes led to Damascus and they must determine which were the safest and best for them. From Damascus to Haran they must again gather information from fellow travelers. It was a long and tiresome journey but comparatively safe since most of the area was under Egyptian control.
Before they left, Abraham appeared out of the shadows of his tent leaning on Isaac’s arm. “I must speak a final blessing on your journey,” he said.
At that Eleazar gathered the camel drivers, guards, and general servants to come and stand before Abraham. It was like many other mornings but strangely different. The moon had not set and the east was still dark beyond the jagged mountains of the wilderness of Zin. The brook Besor with its narrow band of oleanders and reeds was dank and mysterious with the rising mist. The nesting birds and small animals that lived along its banks were not yet awake.